Mugabe defends land grab

Mugabe defends land grab

President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe said his government would not compensate white farmers for land it planned to take to resettle thousands of peasants. "We are going to take the land and we are not going to pay a cent," Mr Mugabe was quoted as saying. In the past he has threatened to forcibly seize white-owned commercial farms without compensating the owners. The government has earmarked vast tracts of property under a controversial 1992 law which gives it power to forcibly take the land.